SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Premier Floyd says the $17,000 in gifts doled out during the Western Premiers' Conference this week is the NWT's way of "showcasing the North, and celebrating the cultural diversity of the people in the NWT."

"We wanted to highlight our culture and traditions (in the NWT) throughout the conference," Roland said.

Gifts to western Canadian premiers included handmade arts and crafts purchased from NWT arts from every region of the territory, such as drums, sashes and hoops. Other delegates attending the June 20-22 conference in Yellowknife received NWT-themed souvenirs, like passport holders made from muskox hide.

"Providing these gifts is a means for the GNWT to invest some money back into our territory's arts and crafts sector," said Drew Williams, press secretary for the premier and cabinet.

"Our position as chair and host (of the conference) is reflective, in part, of the growing recognition that the North, and the NWT in particular, has much to bring to the table. We've been lobbying for this type of participation and recognition for many years," he added.

The territorial government was unable to provide a breakdown of the gift costs or how many people received them at press time. All three territorial premiers attended the conference, as did Greg Selinger of Manitoba, Alberta's Ed Stelmach, and Christy Clark from B.C.

The legislative assembly approved a total investment of $275,000 to plan and host of the Western Premiers' Conference, Williams said. He said a portion of the costs of the conference were offset by $140,000 in corporate sponsorship.

Host corporate sponsors for this year's conference included BHP Billiton and ATCO Group. Additional sponsors included Discovery Air Inc., Enbridge Inc., Shell Canada Limited and CIBC.

"Corporate sponsors did not contribute the gifts specifically, but were used to offset the overall cost of the conference directly," said Williams.

He stated that other specific budget items related to the conference included a tour of Nahanni National Park for $62,000; transportation costs to Deh Cho for $18,000; reception and catering costs for $40,000 and costs for National Aboriginal Day celebrations in Fort Simpson for $15,000.

It was the first Western Premiers Conference attended by Christy Clark and Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski. Pasloski made light of his "rookie premier status" at the conference, and said he enjoyed his time in the NWT and joked with Roland, saying, "You may have to speak on my behalf."

The conference was a platform for western Canada premiers to discuss topics such as enhancing the Canada-U.S. economic relationship, developing western Canadian economic potential in Asian markets and enhancing airline access between western Canada and the world. Allowing for more job and business growth across the country, western Canadian electricity and energy opportunities, attracting foreign investment to the area, pricing for pharmaceuticals in western Canada and the future of the western Canadian labour market, which will need more than one million additional workers over the next decade, were also discussed.

Roland said laws regarding violence against aboriginal women and girls were addressed in the conference.

"Here in the NWT, we could have the best laws in the country, but without enforcement, it makes it challenging (to reduce crime) in those areas," Roland said.

The 2012 Western Premiers' Conference will be held in Alberta in the spring of 2012.

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